Safety razor



Aug. 7, 1934. s. HAMMER A 1,969,509

v SAFETY RAZOR Filed Nov. 27. 1951 INVENTOR .blade positioning means Patented Aug. v 7, 1934 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE United Metal Box Co.

Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a.

corporation of New York Application November 27, 1931, Serial No. 577,523

8 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors, and more particularly to a razor of that type in which the clamping or holding element for the shaving blade constitutes a permanently assembled part of the razor unit.

It is the primary object and purpose of my present invention to provide a safety razor of this kind particularly designed for use in connection with a double edged shaving blade, and wherein the blade clamping element is so mounted, arranged and operated that it may be employed in conjunction with a razor frame of standard construction in so far as the guard and is concerned, and which, therefore, may be used in connection with double edged razor blades of various wellknown makes now in common use.

It is a more particular object of my invention to provide a blade clamping plate connected with a fulcrum axially movable on the frame handle below the guard together with means mounted on the handle and manually controlled. to transmit movement to the clamping plate axially of the handle into and out of blade engaging position, and to also impart a swinging movement to said plate transversely of the blade and the guard. I thus obviate any possibility of contact of the movable clamping plate with the cutting edge of the blade, and by bodily swinging the plate to a position entirely to one side of the guard, enable said blade to be easily gripped at its ends between the thumb andgflnger and removed.

The invention also has for an additional object to provide an operating means for the movable blade clamping element of such construction that it may be actuated to move said element to or from its blade clamping position with a minimum amount of turning moyement of a rotatable actuating part mounted on the frame handle.

It is also a further general object of the invention to provide a safetyrazor having the novel features above referred to, and in which the several-co-operating elements are simple in form, compact in their arrangement and positive, reliable and efficientA in functional operation. With the above and other objects in view, the 'invention consists in the improved safety razor, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingy drawing, and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

- In the drawing-,wherein I have illustrated several simple and practical embodiments of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a safety razor provided with one embodiment of my present improvements Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 1, partly in section, and illustrating a modified form of the device, and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the modified construction.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the razor frame consists of the concavo-convex guard member 5 integrally formed or welded or otherwise secured to one endof the tubular handle shank 6. The guard member 5 is of the conventional type having the spaced guard teeth or lugs 7 along its opposite longitudinal edges and provided with the longitudinally spaced blade positioning studs or pins 8 projecting fromits upper convex surface.

The upper end of the hollow or tubular handle 6 is completely closed by the guard member 5 and adjacent to this member, the said shank is longitudinally slotted as at 9 to accommodate a longitudinally shiftable shaft or axis 10 sup-l ported in the bearing recesses 12 provided in the bifurcated axially movable fulcrum 11 mounted -within the handle shank 6. Preferably this .fulcrum is integrally formed upon one end ofthe threaded rod orstem 13 cooperating with the interiorly threaded sleeve 14 mounted within the tubular` handle. This stem exterior of the handle and below the same terminates in an externally knurled actuating knob or! head 15. Adjacent to this head, the: sleeve 14 is provided at the outer side thereof with an annular groove 16 to receive the locking key 'or pin\ 17 engagedI therein at one side of said sleeve and in a oomplementary groove or recess provided in the inner surface of the wall of the handle 6. Thus the sleeve is securely locked to the handle against longitudinal shifting movement relative thereto while its -free rotative movement is permitted. Within the bifurcation of the' fulcrum 11, a pinion 18 is keyed or otherwise suitably fixed "fupon'the kshaft or axis 10. In the wall of the handle 6 immediately adjacent to the guard member 5, a longitudinally extending toothed rack 19 is suitably xed, the teeth of said rack projecting into the hollow handle for intermeshing engagementy with the teeth of the pinion 18. It will be noted that the slot 9 in the handle shank extends for an appreciable distance inwardlybeyond `the series of rack teeth 19.

Preferably the rod or stem 13 is formed with a double quick acting thread so that in a comparatively short turning movement of Athe actuating knob or head 15, an appreciable extent vof longitudinal shifting movement of the ful- Crum 1l will be produced.

The razor blade clamping element or plate 20 isv also of the usual conventional type, being of concave-convex form and having longitudinally spaced apertures 21 therein to receive the blade positioning studs 8 on the guard member 5. An arm 22 is integrally or otherwise rigidly connected with each end of the plate 20 and eX- tends inwardly at right angles to said blade. The inner portion of each arm 22 is horizontally and inwardly extended as at 23 andl terminates adjacent to one side of the handle 6 in an angularly disposed ear 24 extending in parallel relation to the handle. These ears of the arms 22 are provided with rectangular or square perforations therein to receive the squared ends 25 of the shaft or axis 10.

As seen in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the plate 20 is shown in full lines in its operative position with its opposite longitudinal edges in clamping engagement-upon the flexible shaving blade-B adjacent to the respective cutting edges thereof to securely hold and retain saidedges in proper relation to the guard teeth 7. It will be noted th'at the fulcrum member 11 and 'the pinion 18 with the shaft or axis 10 are disposed below the toothed rack 19, so that the teeth of said pinion are out of meshing engagement with the rack teeth. When it is desired to remove the blade B, in the rst turning movement of the head or knob 15, the stem 13 moves upwardly thereby imparting a straight axial movement to the shaft' 10, the arms 22 and plate 20 relative to the handle shank until the plate 20 is disposed entirely above the blade positioning studs 8, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.` Upon a continued turning movement of the knob 15, further longitudinal movement of the fulcrum 11 is produced, which thereby brings the teeth of the pinion 18l into meshing engagement with the teeth of the rack 19. Thus saidpinion and shaft are rotated and through the medium of the rigid arms 22. connected with said shaft, the

plate 20 is swung transversely of the guard member 5 toone side thereof.

As seen in broken lines in Fig. 4 of the drawing, I have shown the plate 20 swung to an extreme position with itgQlower side edge closely adjacent to the handleshank. This, however,

is not"'essential in order to permit of the ready removal ofV the shaving blade B, but it is sufficient for this purpose that the plate 20 be swung .through an` arc 'of approximately 45 degrees,

or to a position substantially in right angular relation to the' guard 5. Movement of the blade clamping plate to this extent from its clamping position, as shown in full 'lines in Fig. 4, may be accomplished in the construction illustrated with only-.about two complete turns' of the actuating knob v15. The arrangement described thus greatly facilitates the easy and quick transverse swinging of the plate 20 to a position wholly out of obstructing relation to the blade B. The opposite ends of this blade maythus be easily gripped between the thumb and nger and .the blade lifted oli of the positioning studs 8, thereby obviating cutting of the lingers by the contact of the sharpened edges of the blade therewith.

Of course, it will be understood that to again clamp the blade on the guard 5, it is only necessary to reverse the turning movement of the knob l5. Initially, through the meshing engagement of the teeth or pinion 18 with the rack 9, the plate 20 is swung upwardly to a position over the guard 5, and with the apertures 20 directly in alignment with the studs 8. On reaching this position, the teeth pinion 10 move below and out of engagement with the teeth of the rack 19, so that in the continued downward threading movement of the stem 13 within the sleeve 14, the plate 20 is drawn downwardly into clamping engagement with the shaving blade `B, while the studs 8 enter the apertures `of said clamping plate.

In Figs. Gand 7 of the drawing, I have illustrated an alternative embodiment of the essential parts of my invention as above described.

In this construction, the fulcrum member con-A `one of lits longitudinal edges, are loosely engaged. Each of these arms 22' is formed with a cam slot 28 'to receive a cylindrical stud or pin 29 rigidly xed to the underside of .the guard member 5 and projecting beyond one end thereof.

By means of the construction last described, it will lbe understood from reference t0 Fig. '7, that in order to remove the shaving blade, upon turning the actuating knob for the threaded stem 1 3 in one direction, the fulcrum'bar 26 is shifted longitudinally of the handle toward the guard 5, thus rst lifting the guard plate-20 from the studs- 8, and thereafter by the co-operation of the pins-29 with the angularly deflected portions of the'cam slots 28, causing transverse..

swinging movement of the plate 20 to substantially the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. Thus in this case also it will be seen that said clamping plate is disposed substantially wholly beyond one edge ofthe guard `5 and the shaving blade, so that the latter may without diiculty be easily removed. Likewise, it Awill be evident that, as in the previously described construction, the blade clamping ,plate is so operated that all liability of contact of the same with the cutting edge of the blade or of the engagement of the blade edge with said plate in the removal of `the blade is avoided.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the' accompanying drawing, the several illustrated examples of my present invention will be clearly and fully understood. In each case, it will be appreciated that by means of the comparatively simple and compact larrangement of the several cooperating elements,

I am enabled to provide a razor of this type in which the blade clamping element or plate constitutes a permanently assembled part of the razor unit, and which eliminates objections heretofore made to razors of this type in that the razor lblade may be positioned on or removed from the guard member with maximum ease and facility, and no special construction of the guard, the clamping plate or the razor blade is required, so that razor blades of numerous different forms as now used in connection with such razors can be employed.

I have herein selected for the purpose of illustration a standard razor frame construction of the Gillette type which'is characterized primarily by the form of the guard member and the blade positioning studs 8.' However, it is to be understood that in so far as the essential and novel features of the present disclosure are concerned, the same may be adaptable to various other safety razor constructions, though perhaps necessitating resort to minor modifications in the form and relative arrangement of the various co-operating elements. Accordingly, it is to be understood that I reserve the privilege of incorporating `my invention in such-other alternative structural forms as may be fairly embraced within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety razor having a tubular handle and a guard fixed to one end thereof; a member for releasably clamping a blade upon said guard, an element mounted within the handle for movement axially with respect thereto and also rotatable about an axis transverse to the handle axis, and means rigidly connecting said element to the blade clamping member.

2. In a safety razor having a tubular handle and a guard fixed to one end thereof; a member for releasably clamping a blade upon said guard, an element mounted within the handle for movement axially thereof and also rotatable about its own axis, means rigidly connecting said element to the blade `clamping member, an actuating member rotatively mounted on the other end of the handle and operatively connected to said element to impart axial movement thereto, and a relatively fixed part on the handle coacting with said element to rotate the same and swing said clamping member relative to the guard.

3. In a safety razor having a tubular handle and a guard fixed to one end thereof; a pinion, means for mounting said pinion Within the handle for bodily movement axially thereof and for rotation about its own axis, means rigidly connecting said pinion` with the blade clamping member, and a rack xed to the handle to coact withsaid pinion and rotate the same to Swing the blade relative to the guard.

4, In a safety razor having a tubular handle and a guard xed to 'one end thereof; a pinion, means for mounting said pinion Within the handle for bodily movement axially thereof and for rotation about its own axis, means rigidly connectingr said pinion with the blade clamping member, a rack fixed to the handle to coact with said pinion and rotate the same to swing the blade relative to the guard, and manually operable means mounted on the handle for axially shifting said pinion into and out of engagement with said rack.

5. In a safety razor having a tubular handle and a guard fixed to one end thereof; a pinion, means for mounting said pinion within the handle for bodily movement axially thereof and for rotation about its own axis,lmeans rigidly connecting said pinion -with the blade clamping member, a rack xed to the handle to coact with said pinion and rotate the same to swing the blade relative to the guard, manually operable means mounted on the handle for axially shifting said pinion into and out of engagement with Asaid rack, said pinion mounting including a threaded stem, and a manually rotatable member mounted on the handle having threaded connection with said stem to axially shift the pinion into and out of engagement with said rack.

6. In a safety razor, a frame including a handle having a guard fixed to one end thereof; a fulcrum member mounted on the handle for axial movement relative thereto, means on the other end of said handle connected with said fulcrum member and manually operable to 4shift the same relative to the handle, a razor blade clamping member, and connecting means be tween said member, the guard and thefulcrum member, including coacting parts operating to bodily swing the blade clamping member transversely with respect to the guard in the axial movement of said fulcrum member.

7. In a safety razor, a frame including alhan- 'ming action in the axial movement of the fulcrum member to bodily swing said blade clamping plate transversely of the guard to and from its blade clamping position.

8. In a safety razor, a one-piece tubular handle, a-guard directly fixed vto one end of said handle, said handle having slots extending inwardly from the guard, a blade clamping plate, means axially movable with respect to the handle and including a part within the tubular handle extending through said slots exteriorly of the handle and connected to said plate, and a relatively fixed element cooperating with another part of said means to swing said clamping plate laterally with respect to said guard.

` SAMUEL HAMMER. 

